Encounters
by a girl of many obsessions
Summary: Scarlett Avery has had loads of encounters with Sirius Black, but never ones like this. And now that she's being threatened by threatening letters being left by a possible Death Eater, she has much more than her growing feelings for Sirius to deal with. (Sirius Black x OC! T for now to be safe! This is my first HP fanfic, I hope you guys like it . )
1. The Rejection

**(A/N this is a repost! I thought of a better plotline and genre, so I'm re-posting this so I can change the description and whatever. It's still Sirius Black romance, though! Okaay enjoy thanks for reading)**

The last few lingering days of summer before returning to Hogwarts were always the worst; you were constantly hit head-on with the realization that soon you'd be back to the ancient hallways, falling asleep in Potions and accidentally breaking things in Charms. And then there was the concept of homework; stacks and stacks of parchment to be filled out with just a tiny quill every night until you eventually just give up and stop caring. Personally, as a muggle-born, I most definitely preferred the basic ballpoint pen to the annoying, inconvenient quill. But writing preferences aside, the summers always came and went fleetingly.

Yet again another humid summer had flown by, and quite unfortunately I would be back to studying in no time flat; this time, though, I'd be a sixth year.

I rolled onto my back lazily as sun protruded from my best friend's open window, my eyes blinking to register the final day of freedom before I'd be back on the Hogwarts Express. Every summer I came and stayed with Lily Evans, my absolute closest friend, from the beginning of August to the very last day of summer. It'd been a tradition since our second year, and neither of us planned to stop.

I breathed in sharply, my nostrils salvaging a scent of cooking bacon and eggs. I smiled groggily, excited for what I would be no doubt consuming in a matter of minutes. All that had to be done was have Lily coax me out of bed, and I'd be on my way downstairs.

"My god, Scarlett, you're still asleep? You haven't even packed yet for tomorrow, and you have lots to pack. Oh god, do you have your books? Your robes?"

I grunted in response. I didn't know the answer to the question, so it was best not to provoke meaningless worry by telling the truth. "Alright, mom," I said sarcastically. "I'll be up in a second." I swung my legs over the side of the disheveled bedspread and stretched my legs under the path of the sun's rays. I grabbed my crooked wand from the bedside table Lily and I both shared and used it as a back scratcher, but mostly just to irritate Lily.

"Are you trying to get us in trouble? Get up. And put that down."

"Alright, alright. Excited to start school again? Perchance, to see James?" I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, and Lily smacked me, just hard enough for me to know she was kidding, but that she was insecure about the topic.

"You already know how I feel about James. He's an arrogant t-"

"Yup. I've heard this probably, like, twenty times before. All I'm saying is that James has got the hots for you, and I can tell you like him too. You're just too mature for him."

James Potter was undoubtedly, undeniably in love with Lily, and had been ever since I could remember. The kid was an asshole, I had to admit, but he was a nice guy when you got to know him. I was good friends with the Marauders enough to know this much. The lot of them always got on my nerves, but they were hilarious and knew exactly how to make getting into trouble fun.

"C'mon, get dressed so we can eat."

I nodded and reached for my wand hastily, before Lily slapped my hand and reminded me for the umpteenth time that week that "there was no magic allowed, not even for simple spells. Are you trying to get us expelled?" She wouldn't listen when I said it would only be me getting expelled, not her, and how it would be slightly ridiculous to get expelled just for using magic to bring something over to you. Something innocent like clothing.

"Just get dressed and pretend you're a muggle."

"God, that's a thought," I snickered, and she rolled her eyes before leaving the room. I changed into a gray dress that just grazed above my knees underneath a woolen sweater, and yanked a brush through my matted brown hair. Eventually, I wound up completely surrendering to the knots that just would not diminish, no matter how hard I tried.

Following the inviting scent of breakfast downstairs, I was met with a gleeful discovery; not only was there bacon, but also stacks of blueberry-ridden pancakes. I smiled gratefully at Mrs. Evans, who was just leaving the room, and joined Lily at the table.

"Have you written to your family yet?" Lily asked over a glass of orange juice. I shrugged, knowing full well the answer was no. "Not yet. I will once I get to Hogwarts. My owl can take it to them."

My beloved owl, Pamela, was my prized possession; her gray spotted feathers could fan out and accomplish me anything. She'd never once failed to deliver a letter or package, and more importantly, she was my best friend. My non-human one, of course. As I helped myself to another pancake, Lily's eyes widened, gaze affixed somewhere over my shoulder.

"Christ almighty, JAMES!"

I turned excitedly over my shoulder to see what the commotion was, and I found myself looking at four teenage boys, suspended in mid-air on their broomsticks, waving at us furiously through the kitchen window. I couldn't help myself; a laugh expelled from my lips, and Lily had trouble hiding her amusement as well. It was a facade she had, pretending that she wasn't happy to see James. Anyone who knew Lily knew she was never disappointed to see the Marauder.

"Hi, boys," I singsonged, biting into a forkful of pancake. "If you came here to get our breakfast, you can get lost. It's all ours."

"Ah, man. The plan's foiled," Sirius laughed, offering me a mischievous grin. I cocked an eyebrow teasingly and turned, facing Lily once more. "You boys need to get down! This is a muggle town! Everyone can see you! Get inside!" She was caught up in her angry ranting, but I caught onto her plan I knew she had concocted seconds before. She was inviting them in; there was no doubt she hadn't done it on purpose.

"Alright then," James said before darting inside on his broom at maximum speed, the wind aggressively whipping through his hair and lurching him forward. The three boys followed close behind at similar speeds, but didn't crash into the refrigerator like James currently was in the midst of doing. The door swung open with a startling clatter, letting out a blast of icy air, and James collapsed from his wobbling broom to the tiled kitchen floor. All I could do was laugh as he winced in pain along with Sirius, who was doubled over with hysteria. Lily stared, face blank, her hands firmly grasped on her hips as she shot visual daggers to her pursuer.

"My knee hurts, babe. Wanna kiss it to make it better?"

"That is revolting, Potter, positively revolting. Get your little crony, Remus, to kiss it."

We all turned to Remus, who was trying desperately to stay balanced on his teetering method of transportation. He glanced up, realizing all the attention was on him, and Sirius shook his head. "Bloke's not affectionate enough. I think Scarlett had better do it. Go on, now."

"'Scuse me? The only kissing anyone here will be doing will be you, on my ass."

A chorus of "oooh"'s resounded amongst the five of us, and I flashed him a triumphant beam. "Anything you'd like to kiss, Miss Scarlett Avery?" He winked, and I made a gagging expression, which only fueled his teasing.

"No, not at the moment, thank you."

"That's an awfully modest dress you're wearin', Red. I bet you're not wearing underwear underneath."

I laughed dryly. "That's for me to know, and you to never find out. Don't be crude, you chauvinistic pig."

"I'm not chauvinistic. I'm just wondering about your choice of undergarments."

"Right. And what'd you call me? Red?"

"Yep. Get it? Cause your name's Scarlett? And Scarlett means red?"

I crossed my arms disapprovingly. "I'm named after the more sophisticated color. Don't call me Red, or there's going to be lots of it when I decapitate you."

"Clever, Red." He winked, and I smacked him hard on the forehead.

Sirius and I hadn't always bantered like this. Truthfully, we never really spoke until our fifth year, and even then it was awkward. It wasn't until the Christmas break when the both of us were the only ones not visiting home, and neither of us had anybody to talk to besides each other. That was when he started to joke with me and bother me lightheartedly. I never minded; I always reciprocated the playful back-and-forth that always ensued between the two of us. I liked him a lot as a good friend, and we got along just fine when we weren't arguing.

Lily sat back in her chair, an amused look still lingering on her symmetrical face. "Are you boys all packed for tomorrow? What are you doing, coming 'round here?"

"Oh, don't you worry. We're all set and ready to go. We just dropped by to see you and your sidekick."

"Hey! I am n-"

"She's not," Sirius interjected, and I felt my face flush with pleasure. I hated being compared to Lily or considered her sidekick- I had put up with far too much abuse being in the sidelines. For him to jump to my side was much appreciated. Turning to me, he extended his hand. "Wanna go for a ride?"

I nodded, feeling stuffy in the warm confines of the Evans house, eager to feel some fresh air on my skin. I grabbed my broom, which lay against the wall next to the refrigerator. I mounted it, and soon I was hovering midair, only being supported by a small stick of wood. "Let's go."

Out the window we departed, flying closely next to each other and talking casually while avoiding muggles. The fading summer heat was interrupted every so often by a cool breeze, and we weaved our brooms to go through each passing tree, both of us in an unspoken race to nowhere. "So how's your family?"

I was caught off-guard by Sirius' serious question (pun not intended), since most of the time he talked he was making a sexual innuendo, teasing me, or both. I wasn't exactly thrilled to be talking about my parents, and as I dipped far enough down to feel tiny blades of grass against the bottoms of my feet, he followed me. It wasn't that I didn't like my family, it was moreso that they didn't agree with my witchery.

They were convinced I was magical through the devil's work, whatever that meant, and that I just needed to go to a lot of Sunday mass to be cured. Naturally, I wouldn't comply. We weren't exactly on good terms- right before I had left for Lily's house, we had an enormous argument that left me in hysterics.

"Uh, they're fine. Kinda psychotic is all."

"Hm. I understand the whole crazy relatives thing. I have a few of my own. Sometimes I think they're gonna kill me."

I giggled half-heartedly, and focused on keeping low to the ground as I flew. I had to admit, I was a pretty good flyer. It was completely unfair I was rejected from the Quidditch team for some smelly boy who wasn't half as good as I was. Just another bout of rampant sexism.

"Let's hang out," said Sirius abruptly, and we dropped to the ground beneath us, where there was conveniently a grassy clearing surrounded by trees. Sirius took a seat next to me, and I stretched out my legs in front of me, sighing deeply. This was my last sense of freedom. This was the last time I'd inhale fresh summer air, the last time I wouldn't have the daunting task of homework. I rested my head against a tree, and I was surprised to feel a clammy hand close around mine. I looked up confusedly, and Sirius looked at me with an expression I could not decode. I looked down at our interlocked hands and back up at his expectant face.

"Uh... Sirius? What are you doing?"

"I'm holding your hand. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Ah." Awkwardly I pulled my hand away and wiped the excess sweat on the skirt of my dress. Sirius laughed awkwardly, and I drew my knees to my chest. "Uh, why, exactly?"

"'Cause I like you. And I kinda wanna do this."

Suddenly I felt his lips touch mine, fast and clumsy, and for a fraction of a second I felt my lips kiss his gently back. Instantly afterwards, I pulled away, his hot skin touching mine in the process, a bee buzzing irritatingly in my ear. His spit was on my mouth, and I cringed in disgust. His wide eyes were ridden with guilt and rejection. I brought myself to my feet, brushing my skirt out compulsively. He remained sitting.

"Sirius? I like you and all, but we don't know each other well enough. I'm sorry."

"It's because you like Lupin, isn't it? God damn it-"

"It's not that, okay? I- I just am not interested. Thank you for the kiss, but we just aren't on those terms yet. I'm sorry."

He ran his fingers through the grass and I could see tears escaping the corners of his eyes; I felt terribly guilty, but I didn't know what else I was supposed to do. I barely knew the kid. He was a friend, and a very good one at that, but I didn't know how I felt about him at all. The kiss was so unexpected and sloppy, I simply couldn't accept his wordless invite to become his girlfriend. I grabbed my broom and stepped onto it, hurrying home before he could catch up with me.

"He just grabbed you? And just planted one on you?"

I nodded, tossing an unfolded robe into my opened suitcase. "He thought I rejected him because I like Remus. I barely speak to Remus. God, he started to cry. I felt awful."

Lily shook her head so that a few strands of red fell into her eyes "That's so weird. I wonder how long he had a crush on you. You think he liked you last year?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. Now that I think about it, our interactions could be misconstrued as flirtation. I hope this whole thing doesn't mess up our friendship or anything, or, like, ruin his self esteem. I wouldn't want to poor kid to feel like shit about himself."

"Who knows? Maybe you'll end up liking him."

"Doubt it. He's just a good friend of mine," I countered, zipping my suitcase shut and exhaustedly dragging the whole thing next to my bed. Satisfied, I plopped down on top of it and crossed my legs. "Besides, I'm not even really interested in dating anyone yet. Maybe in a few months or something, but not now, when I have to start focusing on not failing."

"Yeah, well, all I'm saying is you and Sirius seemed to strike each other's fancies. So you might as well just go for it."

"Funny. But no." I stood and laid down on the bed, closing my eyes and taking in the darkness. I sighed peacefully, and then instantly caught up in a strain of worry. Worry that I wouldn't be able to take my mind off of the incident, worry that Sirius would be upset, or worse, angry. I knew it was irrational, but with a mind like mine, it was impossible not to excessively think about the negatives. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm going to sleep. It is the eve of the first day back at Hogwarts, after all."

The train ride was uneventful; there were no dramatic screaming matches, no tears or friends consoling friends. There was only Lily and I, feasting on a never ending, superfluous stash of candy, and gossiping about the other students. On one occasion James visited, and besides an odd glance in my direction, all seemed at ease.

At the celebratory welcome dinner, I downed my pumpkin juice and laughed with my fellow Gryffindor friends, constantly glancing towards Sirius to see if he was looking at me from across the table. As I bit into some sort of chicken, I peered again towards Sirius, but this time he was looking back, and our gazes locked.

And then the unthinkable happened. He smiled politely, not in the sort of way that a boy you'd just rejected would smile. And then he topped off the whole mess with a wave, and he dug back into his mashed potatoes and gravy without so much as a playful wink.

"What on earth was that?" I whispered at Lily, who was far too invested in a conversation with some Hufflepuff who had come over to greet her.

"What was what?"

"Sirius waved at me like nothing happened. He just waved! He didn't do anything else, he just smiled."

"That's good, isn't it? You two are on good terms, nothing is awkward. It's like nothing happened."

"I guess," I said softly. Whatever it was that had just occurred, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that it caused within my chest. Did I want him to be upset? Did I want him to continue pursuing me like James did to Lily? That would be stupid. There was no reason to feel upset; it was all well and good. I sighed, giving up on dwelling over him, and dropped my fork. I was finished eating and ready to go to bed.

"Lily? I'm going to sleep," I whispered, standing and pushing my chair in. I waved tiredly at Nearly Headless Nick and trudged to the Gryffindor commons room, where I lingered in for a few moments before heading to my bed. There I decided to write my parents a letter, once and for all. I affectionately rubbed Pamela's head, gave her a gentle kiss to finish it off, and started my letter.

Dear mom and dad,

I paused. It wasn't formal enough, especially for my parents who were convinced I was the work of Satan or something. I erased the introduction and started again.

_Dear mother and father,_

_I am doing fine at the moment in Hogwarts. I just got here, it's my first day. I'm excited. I have some good friends, which is good. I am not a satan worshiper. Send me either muggle makeup or chocolates for my birthday next month._

_From, Scarlett_

I folded the note into a tiny square and handed it to Pamela, who took it graciously and dipped out the window straight away. I laid down, eyes burning from a long day of transitioning, and fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

**(A/n SOOO this is my first Harry Potter fanfiction I've ever written, so I'd appreciate some feedback! I'm really excited about writing this, so I hope you guys liked it and since I'm a little rusty on my HP knowledge, I hope I didn't get anything too wrong. Okay, thanks for readingggg)**


	2. A Red Letter and Muggle Makeup

(A/N So I had a few errors in the first chapter that I eventually fixed, but here is the not-so-much awaited chapter dos! Please review, or add to your favorites if you like it a lot!)

"Scarlett."

I ignored the voice pestering me from behind, trying to pay attention to my opened Arithmancy textbook and scribble down incoherent notes.

"Scarlett."

I huffed, annoyed, and dipped my quill into the ink well for the fifteenth time that hour, scrawling down a number quickly. I really did not want to talk to the owner of the irritating voice. It was anything but that, really. I kept my head down, dark wavy hair tied loosely at the base of my neck.

"SCARLETT."

I turned, a scowl set across my features. "What on earth could you possibly want?" I glared at the timid fifth-year Slytherin who sat behind me, his nails drumming the desk impatiently. The boy, Cornelius something-or-other, had been bothering me since my second year. He scanned my face, pleased at my annoyance, and smirked.

"Nice pair," he said, eyes fixated on my moderate-sized breasts.

"WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND LEAVE ME ALONE?" I may have yelled this a bit too loudly, but I was about done with Cornelius. I couldn't believe my horrible luck to have been put in the same class as him.

"It was a bloody joke," the blond-haired boy muttered, obviously embarrassed at the attention I had brought him.

From across the room, I could see Sirius look up from his "work" (he was actually making some sort of map) and face the direction my raised voice had come from. He chuckled, and I looked away nervously, but he offered a cheeky grin at me before I could lose sight. I sighed dejectedly, wondering when he'd ever forget this charmed act and finally start acting how he should be. Where were my flowers, given to me with an undying enchantment? The ache to never lose me? He'd taken my let down all too well, and I was confused.

Hadn't he been crying when I first said no? Now he wasn't persisting at all. He seemed perfectly okay, and I'd even seem him talk to some girl earlier in the day. He didn't even stand up for me to Cornelius, who was constantly making some sort of sexual comment.

I groaned in frustration, giving him a sidelong look, hoping he'd see me.

No, I didn't want that. Not at all. I was simply being stuck up, wanting him to run after me and beg like James and not give up, even when I wave him off in the most aloof manner possible. No, I was just jealous of Lily, which I shouldn't be.

Class ended, and I hastily collected my things and threw them into my bag, trying my best to avoid looking at him again. I sped into the hallway, relieved for my final class to be over for the day. It was only the second day and I already was yearning for school to be over. I couldn't help it; classes were just so boring. I spotted James, Peter, and Remus, walking next to Lily and talking animatedly. I cringed.

Before I could duck away soundlessly, Lily caught my attention by waving to me excitedly. Everyone saw, and I couldn't pretend I hadn't. Sheepishly, as though I hadn't been trying to avoid the Marauders, I made my way over to the group.

"Scarlett, ey," said Peter, lowering his voice, "I heard you turned down Sirius."

I widened my eyes. "You all know? I can't believe he told you!"

Just my luck. Exactly the thing I'd been trying to avoid was being brought up to me the minute I came around.

"Of course we know. How's he takin' it? He was pretty upset to us afterwards. He'd been talkin' about making a move for ages." Remus and James nodded in bitter agreement, and I stiffened.

"He's taking it okay, I guess. He's acting like nothing happened."

"Guys!" From behind us, amongst the gaggle of young wizards, came a venomously familiar voice. I blew air from my nose. I just couldn't escape, could I?

"Hey, Red. Havin' fun with good old Cornelius? Looks like he's interested." Sirius came up next to me swiftly, slinging his bag over his left shoulder. I forced a playful eye roll, and he flicked my shoulder jokingly. I could hear a snicker come from James, and Lily punched him subsequently. I glared at him sharply, and he responded with a wink.

James spoke. "So Sirius, any special ladies?"

"Not at the moment, dickhead."

"Apparently girls with colorful names are very in this season." I turned a shade deeper than my own name and looked down to my shiny patent leather shoes, of which I was only wearing to please my uptight parents. I focused on thinking about homework and how many hours of sleep I should be getting a night, trying to avoid the awkwardness James had purposely created. I watched as his arm snaked around Lily's shoulder, and she shrugged it it off immediately.

"So, Scarlett. How 'bout boys whose names sound a lot like a personality trait. You like 'em?" James was continuing his little spiel, and Remus tittered.

"I haven't considered, James. What about girls whose names sound like types of flowers?" I raised my eyebrows, and he closed his mouth. I couldn't let him win this; not yet, at least. I slipped into the commons room with the others, and hurried to my bed, desperate to be away from the excess testosterone for a while.

I stared into a mirror for a while, desperate to find what exactly I had to fix to appeal to Sirius more. He'd liked me to begin with, but what did I have to do to get him interested and fixated again? It was shallow, but I needed to know. I had wide hazel eyes, dusted with gold, long eyelashes, and milky white skin. Did I need a tan? What about eyeliner?

I deemed it a stupid consideration. Looks shouldn't matter at all, especially to a girl who wasn't interested in the boy she wanted to catch the attention of. What was my issue, anyway? I'd already deciphered that earlier. Jealous. Lame. Stupid. I needed to stop.

What more was I supposed to crack it down to? I was a hormonal teenage girl. There was nothing more to say. Reaching into my bag, I vowed I would stop focusing on annoying, irrelevant boys who were popular and obnoxious and attention seeking. My hands grasped something square, and running my fingers over the surface, I realized it was a sealed envelope. Curiously, I pulled it from my pocket. It was ruby red, sealed with midnight blue wax and written on with smooth, neat handwriting. It consisted of one simple word: Scarlett.

I tore it open, pulling out the thin, lined sheet of paper carelessly and unraveling it with speed. Where had this letter come from? Who had out it in my bag? Surely it was Sirius, if anyone. I felt my heart hammer against my chest, and I read the note as fast as humanly possible.

You are a filthy mudblood, and completely disgusting. Your death would grace Hogwarts dearly.

My eyes widened. The mean spirited message had been left by someone, and yet I had absolutely no idea who would want to leave such a note. Obviously it had been disguised to look like a love note, and it was definitely meant to go to me. There was nothing else written; I folded the note up and shoved it to the bottom of my bag, wondering who had been able to sneak it inside. I usually left my bag on the ground next to my desk, so perhaps somebody had written the note and dropped it in when I was using the bathroom.

But still, I wondered. Who would care enough to go so far as to call me a mudblood? It was a nasty term, even for some of the Slytherins, and usually was reserved for somebody who had gone out of line and angered a proud pure blood. My feelings were hurt, obviously; what had I done to deserve the note? It was only my second day and somebody already was out to get me. I wasn't sure whether or not I should be afraid, since the rise of the Death Eaters group was becoming stronger, but it could be somebody just trying to get on my nerves. I decided upon believing the latter, simply to soothe my active mind, and wrapped my fingers around the neck of my favorite brush.

I tugged it through my hair, preparing to go down to dinner and eat. My hair was always particularly frizzy, but I tried to shake it out so it looked smooth. Long story short, it didn't work, and I had my matted mess of frizz to deal with. Under my robes I had on a black pleated skirt I was quite find of, and a gray sweater that hung low on my hips. It wasn't particularly fashionable, but I still liked the ensemble. I pulled my robes on tighter, and shivered gently at a sudden chill. My stomach felt sick, and I still worried about the letter.

"What are you doing?"

I turned quickly to face Lily, who looked rather gorgeous in her collared top and frilly gray skirt. I knew she only wore the fancy skirt to impress boys she liked, but I decided upon not mentioning it. It was a well known fact already that she liked James; there was no point in mentioning it.

"Nothing, just getting ready to go down to dinner," I said briskly, holding back my shoulders and facing her.

"Ready to go?"

"Um, yeah, just about," I said quickly, pulling my woolen socks over my knees to keep out the frigid cold that I was only just then noticing.

She furrowed her eyebrows in concern. "Is there something wrong, Scarlett? You seem a bit put off."

"No, I'm fine. Absolutely wonderful. Shall we go?" She nodded, an odd expression still splayed across her face, and we departed together. She told me all about her first day on the way to the dining hall; she'd made a few new friends in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and she'd practiced conjuring her Patronus. Her parents had sent her a brand new set of earrings via owl, and she absolutely loved them. She was planning to get the newest, most high-tech broom in the next week or so, and she was absolutely thrilled for her trip to Hogsmeade next weekend. I agreed wholeheartedly, as I enjoyed the Honeydukes candy almost more than her.

When we arrived at our table, Lily confronted me. "Scarlett, don't tell me nothing's wrong. You never listen to me talk for more than two minutes without responding. What is the matter?" I pretended to ignore her question and helped myself to mashed potatoes, and watched with admiration as a charmed pot of gravy danced over in midair and tilted, setting out a stream of mouth-watering golden flavor onto my pile of potatoes.

"It's nothing," I persisted, sipping my pumpkin juice indulgently, but she shook her head. Reluctantly, I gave in. "Fine. I might as well just show you."

I dug into my bag, searching for the crumpled paper, and found it after fishing around for a few seconds, my fingers brushing past books, my own personal supply of sweets, and my journal. "Here," I muttered, handing over the red parchment. She unfolded It, eyes flickering with excitement, and I knew she thought it was some sort of love letter.

Her impish smile faded as she read the message, and re-read it, and read it again. Her lips turned down, and I swallowed the carrot that had been sitting in my mouth as I awaited a response. "Why didn't you tell me? This is serious, you need to tell Dumbledore."

"Why would I tell Dumbledore? It's just some annoying kid trying to mess with me."

"It could be a death eater, though. They hate muggle-borns, and they'll try to kill you if they really mean what they wrote. You can't take the chance."

I rolled my eyes. "Right, so what's Dumbledore going to do? There's no way to find out who wrote it."

"Yeah, but he can keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior. Besides, if there's a Death Eater trying to kill you, they're probably wanting after me, and half the other kids at Hogwarts, too."

"Fine," I said grudgingly, clinking my fork against my plate. I was definitely not into the whole snitching scene, but if Lily honestly was this upset by the ordeal, I figured it couldn't hurt to tell the wise headmaster.

"What's this?" James Potter approached from out of nowhere and snatched the wrinkly note within Lily's fingertips, a haughty grin on his face as he waved it high above Lily's head. "This a love note?"

"It's mine, not hers," I said bitingly, "And it's hardly a love note."

"We'll see about that, Avery. I'm about sure it's from Sirius."

"If you consider a love note calling someone a mudblood, then it sure is."

He scanned the letter fleetingly, and then handed it to me, open mouthed. "Who would've sent this rubbish to you? You better tell Dumbledore."

"That's what I said," interjected Lily.

"Yeah, yeah. Since when did you condone tattling?"

"It isn't tattling if there's a possibility you'll get shanked by a Death Eater, Scar. Just lookin' out for you. It's probably that little prick Cornelius who's always bugging you, but just show him the note just to be safe."

I ignored him, not enjoying the sinking feeling that was forming with the possibility that somebody wanted to kill me. Eating silently, I was surprised when Pamela dipped into the room through an opened window, soaring towards me with a tiny package nestled in her beak. She dropped it directly onto my plate, and I looked down inquisitively. It was a small, paper-bound package that was a flat square, tied all together with brown string crudely, and void of any sort of signature. I pet the tired owl distractedly feeding her a bit of lettuce, and then tuned into the pleas that were coming from my friends.

"Oo, what is it? Wonder why it's so late," said Lily, and I shrugged.

Truth be told, I had absolutely no idea. My parents would definitely not have sent me a gift this early on in the year, especially since I expected they were angry with me. The second confusions was the fact that it had arrived near dinner time, rather than breakfast time where the rest of the packaged usually arrived. There was no name in sight, and my parents would never have sent me a gift wrapped as carelessly as this one. Who else would have sent me something? There was not much family that knew about my magical abilities, and those that did highly disapproved. With shaking hands, I began untying the string.

Without much effort, the paper lost its loose foldings and gave way to a small black case, which was a liquid ink black and had such a shiny surface it was nearly reflective. I snapped it open, and found myself looking at my own auburn eyes, eyes laced with curiosity. It was a tiny compact mirror, and on the second section were four powdery colors, along with a sponge brush. It was a makeup palette. Muggle makeup, just like I'd asked for in the letter to my parents. My stomach dipped. Who had read the letter and sent what I'd asked for? It couldn't be my parents, could it?

I tapped on the mirror, and it fell forward with ease. Underneath the smooth square was a small bit of folded paper.

Muggle makeup, just like you asked for.

I clicked it shut brashly and dropped it into my bag without another thought. What on earth was going on? Lily raised an eyebrow, and I feigned a causal demeanor. "My parents decided to send me something I'd asked for, early. Pretty nice of them."

I wanted to believe it was my parents who had graciously sent me a gift, but that was highly unlikely. The only other alternative was that somebody had read my letter. Possibly the same person who wrote me the scathing note I'd found in my bag earlier. I felt laden with nausea, and I slid my food aside. Who was doing this to me? Maybe I was just overreacting, and it had been my parents. But wouldn't they sign with an "I love you", or at the very least, a "how are you?" My parents nearly never sent packages without an accompanying letter enclosed.

"You okay? You're kinda pale." Sirius' voice coaxed me from my thoughts, and I nearly gasped with the abruptness. I'd been so distracted, I almost had forgot the situation with Sirius. I was almost grateful.

"Nah, that's just my skin tone," I forced the joke, and with trembling hands I pushed at the table and stood up. "I'm heading to bed. I'm tired."

"Are you positive you're okay? Do you promise to visit Dumbledore tomorrow morning?" Lily threw her questions at me faster than I could comprehend, and I responded with a simple nod. All through the hallways as I hurried to the common room, I couldn't help but glance around me nervously, the wide empty hallways vast and ancient. I'd never been afraid of the ghosts that lurched the hallways, but right now, I was half expecting the Bloody Baron to jump out and spook me. I was already frightened, although I knew I was being irrational. I just needed some rest.

That morning, I awoke from a restless sleep much earlier than anybody else needed. I laid motionlessly, listening to the monotonous snores of the girls around me, and pondered whether I should go meet up with Dumbledore and tell him what was going on. I was definitely freaked out, but was it necessary to snitch? Either way, I knew I'd feel better once I did. There was something about Dumbledore that was... Comforting. Almost paternal.

I slid from the bed soundlessly, making sure not to wake any of the girls who'd surely be beyond annoyed if I woke them any earlier than they needed. It was around five-thirty, and I padded with bare feet around the room until I was finished getting ready. I had on a pleated gray dress and maroon sweater pulled over it, and I didn't bother with my hair. I looked hesitantly at the eyeshadow palette that I'd been given, but decided against using it. Who knew what could be inside the pigment?

I washed my eyes and face with water to relieve the tired undereye bags and dark circles, but to no avail. I decided Dumbledore didn't care about my appearance, and started on my way to his office. The only sound I heard as I walked were my leather flats hitting the stone floors gently. I figured I seemed pretty suspicious wandering the halls at this hour, so I sped up my pace.

A dark shadow made its way across the wall, and then a clear figure burst from the tapestries hung across it. I let out a terrified screech, and Nearly Headless Nick chuckled and glided away, but not before tsk-ing disapprovingly at my walking around so early.

When I finally made it to Dumbledore's office, I was beyond relieved. No more sneaking around, and soon I'd be able to go back to bed after getting everything off of my chest. I only hoped he'd be there. I knocked timidly, and from the inside I heard a weary, fatigued voice.

"Come in."

I entered gingerly, pushing the door open with my shoulder. Dumbledore sat at his desk, skimming over a dusty, yellowed book, his ancient-looking glasses rested on his nose. He barely looked up before waving me over, and I sat down at the chair set across from his desk.

My eyes skimmed over the shadowed room; there were so many things there that I had never seen before, and so many things I wouldn't even bother to ask. I had no idea how many secrets were being kept within the walls, and I almost didn't want to know. There was a rustic vibe about the room, and it filled my insides with an odd sort of warmth that I couldn't place. I crossed my legs uncomfortably, and he looked up and grinned warmly.

"Hello, Ms. Avery. What brings you here?"

I couldn't believe he knew who I was in a school filled with so many remarkable wizards. That was Dumbledore for you; a nice old man who recognized every single person's significance. I couldn't picture him as a younger teenager like me; it only seemed appropriate to imagine him living his entire life as a mystical, wise old soul, clad in metallic threads and walking with a sort of glide. I racked my brain for what I had been preparing to say since last night, and eventually I spoke.

"Sir, I've received a threatening letter left my somebody- it was in my bag. And my owl, Pamela, brought me eye shadow that I asked for in a letter to my parents. But weird part is, my parents wouldn't have sent something like that to me. Not yet, at least."

He nodded, a bit too calmly for my liking, and he leant forward. "May I see this letter?"

I nodded, and searched in my bag for the red envelope. Upon finding it, I handed it to him and he read it at a lethargic pace, while I waited and drummed my fingers absently against his wooden desk. When he was finished, he let out a sound that. Was similar to that of a tire losing gas, and I chewed on my lip in anticipation.

"Miss Avery, this is very alarming, indeed. It's a good thing you came to me early on before any further harassment ensued."

"Well, what can we do about this?"

"I will figure something out. Unfortunately, I cannot find out who the culprit is, but I will try my best to prevent any further sort of thing from happening. If you receive another letter, bring it to me."

I nodded, slightly disappointed that we couldn't just settle things right away and use some spell to figure out who it was. Still, I felt comforted that Dumbledore knew, and was offering his help. I stood, ready to leave, and he held up his finger to stop me. "Scarlett, you are a very powerful young witch. I am sure you will be able to stop whoever is doing this, should you eventually find out who it is. I have my deepest trust set in you."

I laughed, not sure what to take of his compliment. "Thank you, sir. For everything." I did an awkward half-curtsy thing, and left his office with a heavy clang as the door shut behind me.

A powerful witch. Hm. That sounded pretty cool.

(A/n so I hope you enjoyed this second chapter! It took me a few days (or nights) to write this, since I wrote this chapter purely from insomnia at 3 am three nights in a row. I hope you liked it! This story wasn't getting reads since I accidentally didn't assign a time period of character for this fanfic, so it probably wasn't showing up in searches. I fixed that though, so now it should show up. If you liked it, fav or follow, or review! Thanks for reading!)


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